Helmet

ABSTRACT

A helmet for protecting an athlete from concussion or laceration during sporting activities is disclosed. The helmet is constructed of an outer shell and an inner cushion. The outer shell and inner cushion each have curvature relief cutouts to allow the helmet to be compressed to securely fit on the athlete&#39;s head. In addition, the outer shell and the inner cushion each have a front section and a rear section, the rear section defining an open section that allows the athlete a range of motion without interference by the helmet.

BACKGROUND (1) Technical Field

The disclosed method and apparatus relate generally to the field of headprotection and more particularly to a protective helmet for use duringsporting activities for absorbing shock to the cranium and preventinglacerations to the scalp.

(2) Background

Several sports activities subject involved athletes to a risk of headtrauma due to concussive forces that can be sustained by the athlete.These sports include, but are not limited to surfing, snowboarding,skateboarding, etc. Unlike other sports in which relatively large andbulky head gear can be worn, sports like surfing would benefit from aprotective headgear that is less cumbersome and that is relatively lightweight. For example, a helmet for surfing should allow the personwearing the helmet to have a relatively wide range of motion, whilestill protecting the wearer from trauma that might result from blows tothe head by sharp contact with the surfboard on which the surfer isriding, with surfboards that other surfers in the area are riding orwith the ocean floor, and in particular rocks, reefs and otherpotentially sharp and dangerous objects on the ocean floor. With surfingin particular, there is a risk that the relatively sharp fin of asurfboard may collide with the head of a surfer causing serverlacerations to the scalp.

Similarly, in skateboarding, skateboarders encounter concussive blows tothe head upon falling from their skateboard and having their head comeinto sharp contact with pavement, skate rink surfaces, the skateboardand other objects that might be encountered, such as trees, fences,rocks, cars. In protecting an athlete, in addition to absorbing theconcussive force, cushioning the athlete's head and protecting theathlete's scalp from lacerations, it is useful to control the rotationalmotion of the headgear.

Unfortunately, most of the headgear that is current available eitherfails to provide sufficient protection for these sports, or isuncomfortable to wear, deterring athletes from using such protectivegear, especially in light of the nature of the sportsmen that engage insuch sports and the history of the sport (i.e., the fact that headgearis not common in such sports, despite the risk of injury).

Therefore, there is currently a need for a flexible, comfortable andprotective headgear that would be acceptable to athletes engaged insports such as surfing, skateboarding, snowboarding and skiing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosed method and apparatus, in accordance with one or morevarious embodiments, is described with reference to the followingfigures. The drawings are provided for purposes of illustration only andmerely depict examples of some embodiments of the disclosed method andapparatus. These drawings are provided to facilitate the reader'sunderstanding of the disclosed method and apparatus. They should not beconsidered to limit the breadth, scope, or applicability of the claimedinvention. It should be noted that for clarity and ease of illustrationthese drawings are not necessarily made to scale.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the presentlydisclosed headgear.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the inner cushion.

FIG. 3 is a rear plan view of the inner cushion.

FIG. 4 is a front plan view of the inner cushion.

FIG. 5 is a side plan view of the inner cushion.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the outer shell, which essentially conformsto the shape of the inner cushion.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an outer shell with an inner cushioninstalled therein.

FIG. 8 is an illustration of the helmet with an outer garment over thehelmet.

The figures are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the claimedinvention to the precise form disclosed. It should be understood thatthe disclosed method and apparatus can be practiced with modificationand alteration, and that the invention should be limited only by theclaims and the equivalents thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the presentlydisclosed headgear 100. The headgear 100 comprises an outer shell 102and an inner cushion 104 cradled within the outer shell 102. The outershell 102 essentially conforms to the inner cushion 104.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the inner cushion 104. FIG. 3 is a rear planview of the inner cushion 104. FIG. 4 is a front plan view of the innercushion 104. FIG. 5 is a side plan view of the inner cushion 104.

The inner cushion 104 comprises a front section 106 and a rear section108 and defines an inner cavity 110 into which an athlete can place hishead. The rear section 108 protrudes from the front section 106. Whilethe rear section 108 appears similar to sun visors at the front ofconventional headgear, the rear section 106 is formed to provideprotection to the rear portion of an athlete's skull, while allowing foran open section 402 (best seen in FIG. 5) below the rear section 108 toaccommodate the athlete's neck. The open section 402 allows a degree offlexibility for the athlete's head is inside the inner cavity 110 andthe athlete is engaged in playing a sport. In particular, the opensection 402 makes is possible for the athlete's head to rotate backward(i.e., pick the athlete's chin up) without being restricted by theperimeter of the shell 102 to which the inner cushion 104 conforms. Therelative shape of the open section 402 and the rear section 108 can varyto provide an optimal shape to allow for the type of movement that isparticularly prevalent in the sport for which the helmet is designed.Accordingly, helmets may be particular designed for different sports toprovide greater coverage of the skull at the expense of restricting thefreedom of motion of the athlete's head and neck.

In some embodiments, the inner cushion 104 is a “foam” produced using anauxetic polyurethane foam, but may also be fabricated from otherpolymers, etc., either layered in panels of various thickness or formedas a unitary construct. Auxetics are structures or materials that have anegative Poisson's ratio. Poisson's ratio v (nu) is a measure of thePoisson effect. Poisson effect is an expansion or contraction of amaterial in directions perpendicular to the direction of loading. Thevalue of Poisson's ratio is the negative of the ratio of transversestrain to axial strain. For small values of these changes, v is theamount of transversal expansion divided by the amount of axialcompression. Most materials have Poisson's ratio values ranging between0.0 and 0.5. When stretched, they become thicker perpendicular to theapplied force. This occurs due to their particular internal structureand the way this deforms when the sample is uniaxially loaded. Auxeticscan be single molecules, crystals, or a particular structure ofmacroscopic matter. Such materials and structures are expected to havemechanical properties such as high energy absorption and fractureresistance. The inner cushion 104 provides a cushion to absorb anddisperse impact. The inner cushion 104 can be glued by an appropriateadhesive directly to the inside of the outer shell 102.

A plurality of side panel curvature relief cutouts 112 allows forexpansion and contraction of the inner cavity 110 formed by the innercushion 104. In particular, the inner cavity 110 expands when by beingfitted over the user's head. In some embodiments, the inner cavity 110then contracts under tension created by an elastic “cap” placed over theheadgear 100.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the outer shell 102, which essentially hasthe same general shape as the inner cushion 104 to allow the innercushion 104 to fit within the outer shell 102. Accordingly, front, sideand rear plan views of the outer shell 102 are not provided, as they areessentially redundant with the views of the inner cushion 104 (althoughslightly smaller to fit within the outer shell 102. The outer shell 102is made of polycarbonate or other plastic material.

A rear section 608 of the outer shell 102 provides a flexible “plate”that allow the athlete's head to move flexibly fore and aft, whilemaintaining a tight fit on the athlete's head. The outer shell 102 hascurvature relief cutouts 606 similar to the curvature relief cutouts 112in the inner cushion 104. The cutouts 606 in the outer shell 102 alignwith the cutouts 112 in the inner cushion 112 when the inner cushion 102is inserted into the outer shell 102. This configuration of cutouts 112,606 combined with the edges 602 of the outer shell 102 around the slideflaps 604 of the outer shell 102 keep the helmet 100 secure and reducerotational slip on the athlete's head.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the helmet 100. The interior 702 ofthe right side of the inner cushion 104 is visible, as are two of thecurvature relief cutouts 112 in the inner cushion 104. The cutouts 112in the inner cushion 104 align with similar curvature relief cutouts 606(not seen in FIG. 7) in the outer shell 102. The thickness of the innercushion 104 is greater in the rear section 108 than in the front section106. The outer shell 102 has essentially a uniform thickness through theshell 102. It is emphasized here that the figures are not drawn toscale.

In some embodiments, the helmet 100 is held in place upon the athlete'shead by an adjustable hat, such as a baseball or sport cap having anelastic band or other adjustment in the rear of the cap, as is common onmost sports caps. The helmet can also be placed under a stretch typeouter garment, such as an adjustable hat, knit cap, rayon or nylon“do-rag”, neoprene rubber wetsuit hood or other covering. In someembodiments, the garment incorporates a chin strap to keep it secure onthe user's head. Alternatively, the helmet 100 and outer garment remainon the athlete's head by pressure exerted on the outer shell 102 by theouter garment.

FIG. 8 is an illustration of the helmet 100 with an outer garment 802over the helmet 100.

The relief cutouts 606 are cut or molded into the solid plastic materialof the outer shell 102 of the helmet 100 to allow the solid helmet 100to conform to heads of different sizes without the use of “plates” orseparate individual sections that are held together by cloth sectionsthat are sewn together. This provides a better fit and better protectivecoverage in critical areas of the athlete's head. The rear section 108,608 of the outer shell 102 and the inner cushion 104 are flexible,allowing pressure applied to the outer shell 102 by the outer garment tocompress the inner cushion 104 against the athlete's head. Using thepressure of the outer garment 802 to keep the helmet 100 in place andreduce the rotational, and forward and aft shifting of the helmet 100when impacted. The slightly thicker foam of the rear section 108 alsohelps keep the helmet 100 snug against the athlete's head. The use of acompressive outer garment 802 with the configuration having curvaturerelief cutouts 112, 606 reduces the need to add inner foam pieces or“wedges”, as is required inside some hard shell, non-flexible helmets inorder to ensure a tight fit on the head. The design also reduces theneed for the helmet itself to be fitted with any elastic material tokeep it in place, since the helmet 100 is held in place by the outergarment stretching over the outer shell 102.

In some embodiments, the inner cushion 104 is adhered to the outer shell102. By adhering the inner cushion to the outer shell 102 using anappropriate adhesive rather than sowing pieces together, the cost ofmanufacturing is reduced and allowing better integration of the innercushion.

The design of the helmet provides a low profile form fitting headgearthat conforms to the skull with the protection against concussive andlacerating blows concentrated on critical areas of head along withreducing rotation of the helmet on the head.

Although the disclosed method and apparatus is described above in termsof various examples of embodiments and implementations, it should beunderstood that the particular features, aspects and functionalitydescribed in one or more of the individual embodiments are not limitedin their applicability to the particular embodiment with which they aredescribed. Thus, the breadth and scope of the claimed invention shouldnot be limited by any of the examples provided in describing the abovedisclosed embodiments.

Terms and phrases used in this document, and variations thereof, unlessotherwise expressly stated, should be construed as open ended as opposedto limiting. As examples of the foregoing: the term “including” shouldbe read as meaning “including, without limitation” or the like; the term“example” is used to provide examples of instances of the item indiscussion, not an exhaustive or limiting list thereof; the terms “a” or“an” should be read as meaning “at least one,” “one or more” or thelike; and adjectives such as “conventional,” “traditional,” “normal,”“standard,” “known” and terms of similar meaning should not be construedas limiting the item described to a given time period or to an itemavailable as of a given time, but instead should be read to encompassconventional, traditional, normal, or standard technologies that may beavailable or known now or at any time in the future. Likewise, wherethis document refers to technologies that would be apparent or known toone of ordinary skill in the art, such technologies encompass thoseapparent or known to the skilled artisan now or at any time in thefuture.

A group of items linked with the conjunction “and” should not be read asrequiring that each and every one of those items be present in thegrouping, but rather should be read as “and/or” unless expressly statedotherwise. Similarly, a group of items linked with the conjunction “or”should not be read as requiring mutual exclusivity among that group, butrather should also be read as “and/or” unless expressly statedotherwise. Furthermore, although items, elements or components of thedisclosed method and apparatus may be described or claimed in thesingular, the plural is contemplated to be within the scope thereofunless limitation to the singular is explicitly stated.

The presence of broadening words and phrases such as “one or more,” “atleast,” “but not limited to” or other like phrases in some instancesshall not be read to mean that the narrower case is intended or requiredin instances where such broadening phrases may be absent. The use of theterm “module” does not imply that the components or functionalitydescribed or claimed as part of the module are all configured in acommon package. Indeed, any or all of the various components of amodule, whether control logic or other components, can be combined in asingle package or separately maintained and can further be distributedin multiple groupings or packages or across multiple locations.

Additionally, the various embodiments set forth herein are describedwith the aid of block diagrams, flow charts and other illustrations. Aswill become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after readingthis document, the illustrated embodiments and their variousalternatives can be implemented without confinement to the illustratedexamples. For example, block diagrams and their accompanying descriptionshould not be construed as mandating a particular architecture orconfiguration.

1. A helmet to be worn during sports comprising: a) a unitary innercushion having: 1) a front section having a first thickness; 2) a rearsection having a second thickness greater than the first section; 3) anopen section that distinguishes the rear section of the inner cushionfrom the front section of the inner cushion; and 4) at least onecurvature relief cutout distributed around the front section of theinner cushion; and b) a unitary outer shell into which the inner cushioncan be inserted, the outer shell having: 1) a front section; 2) a rearsection; 3) an open section; and 4) at least one curvature relief cutoutdistributed around the front section of the outer shell.